Darkness of the Flame
by zoey-starkforever
Summary: THIS IS NOT HON! Carmen is back in this sequel to Queen of Darkness. When an old enemy arrives and a new danger is exposed, Seth must protect her, but will he be enough? What happens when Carmen is learning to control her powers? Click HERE to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Thy Heart is Stronger**

**Carmen pov.**

"What is up with you," May said, annoyed that I was zoning out for like, the millionth time this week.

"Oh sorry, my mind's just not here right now," I said. I was sorry. For everything.

"Okay, once again, _thy heart is stronger than thy head_," She recited. She was in this play where she is this beautiful woman, Felicity, in the renaissance times that falls in love with a blacksmith named John. Anyway, May was practicing her lines every single chance she got, even lunch.

May deserves a better friend than me. She was beautiful and talented, and I was, well, crap this week, to put it lightly. I was completely zoning out, thinking about him instead of focusing on things that matter, like May's play. F*** Seth.

On Monday, I came back to school, to get a week's load of homework. I'm not so pleased; I still have to do half of it! Argh!

Oh, and Seth was there. How wonderful and jolly. IN MY CLASS. He looked as cute as ever and I was excited to see him again. Like he said, we were soul mates. I couldn't help but feel a small _zing _of electricity when his eyes met mine. Then I realized that he was still a b****. Because he left me. He left me. He left me. He left me. He just disappeared, and I never saw him again this week.

I'm so pathetic, thinking about him this entire week. I will love him forever, but I have to forget about all of this. I'm scarred for life.

I sighed and came out of introspective, looking for May, but she was gone, to the popular table, who welcomed her warmly. Of course they loved her. Everyone does. Even I felt a pang of jealously, not because of her popularity, but because her life was normal, other than her being a vamp. I have to be the one with all the powers, believe me, I'm not thankful. I didn't even tell May about the whole Queen of Darkness thing, something was telling me to not trust anyone.

I walked out of the cafeteria and headed for my locker. My locker is pitiful, completely messy. 5-25-11, I put in my combo. I really could have just kicked it open, with all my vamp abilities, but that would be stupid of me, with all the humans around. It's so weird calling my people humans, but it came naturally now that I was _different_. Ugh, humans are just so not accepting…

My eye caught on a Harley zooming past the school. The driver had broad shoulders, a helmet in which I could see his eyes, and swift movements. No, I'm not falling in love with this guy, I already have.

My freakin' instincts told me to stay here, look away, and forget this ever happened, but when have I listened to my instincts? I ran out the door and to my car.

"_Thy heart is stronger than thy head"_

Seth pov.

The wind lashed my face as I exited the school grounds, trying to not get noticed by any one. Hard to do when you're on a freakin' motorcycle, but I put on a helmet that covered everything but my eyes.

Even if she saw me, she probably wouldn't know who I was; she probably didn't ever care to look at my eyes before, so she shouldn't recognize me now. _Stop it_, there's no use blaming her for your wrong-doings.

What kind of a soul mate and consort was I? I hurt her feelings, caused her physical pain, and couldn't even protect her from Maddie. I'm an a***.

Despite all that I've done wrong to her, I still loved her. Which is why I would watch her, without her knowing. Some might say that is invading privacy, but I knew some stuff to counteract that statement.

One, I was protecting her from Maddie. Maddie never gives up, so I am positive she will come back for revenge. I went to Carmen's town, Lahill, after "escaping" from the hospital. (How about you try to explain why I healed so fast?)

Two, I had to make sure she was okay after the fight. The fight that I caused.

And three, it was a consort's job to stay with his lady and protect her. Hard to think of myself as a gentleman looking after his lady. After all I've done.

I was sure that Maddie's next move would be to go straight to the council and state that she saw the hybrid all the way in America, and innocently ask "Wasn't she to have an appointment with you?" That would surely cause the council to get Carmen back there, whether she wanted to go or not. Oh, what do you know, she has strange markings! That would be the next thing that Maddie would innocently notice.

That is all bad and all, but as a son of a Dauntia, a council member, I had other things to worry about, unfortunately. I would have to research trackers. Because there would be a war between vamps and trackers.

See how Carmen fits into the equation?


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello fellow readers! Just wanted to say thanks for reading, but hey, I need more readers. Talk to your friends on fanfiction and spread the word! Also, don't forget to give me feedback-there's a nice button at the bottom of the page for you to click on!**

**Special thanks to fight-the-fire, total obsessive bookworm, zoey-bird 101, and vamplover! This chap is for all of you! Hope U love it y'all!**

**Ch. 2: Car Accident**

Carmen pov.

The wind lashed my face as I sped out of the school grounds. Damn the freakin' Toyota that I have to drive; it's so slow!

I don't know exactly what I would do once Seth would see me.

Yup, that's right; I'm going to cut class and chase my soul mate that broke my heart until something happens. That's my plan!

I glanced at myself in the mirror. Very nice, I appraised myself. My hair fell in waves on my shoulders and my lips were pouty. Perfect for seeing your ex again.

My attention dropped to look at the road ahead and the stop light. It turned red.

Oh great, my worst fears have come alive.

Seth was looking in his side-view mirror, at me. My breath was taken away. Oh, way to go, now I look like I have no dignity left and like a freakin' stalker. I could only see his deep brown eyes through the helmet, and that didn't help me read his expression.

The light turned green, and Seth took no time to speed away. I awoke from my panic and quickly followed his example.

He was trying to get away; he doesn't want to see me anymore.  
Those words sank deep into the pit of my stomach where they lay until I made an illegal u-turn and went the opposite way, back to my school.

Tears sprang into my eyes and I shoved them away behind a forbidden wall; Seth's wall. What did I want from him? An apology? A kiss?

I pulled up into the school parking lot and had a second thought. No one can see me like this at school.

I started the engine again and zoomed away from the school, back to my home with fresh tears in my eyes, threatening a flood. B*******.

Seth pov.

I shivered in spite of myself at seeing Carmen again. She was as beautiful as ever, and her look of surprise makes a smile tug on my lips. I checked out her ride and my dreaming immediately halted. I would have to do something about that car …

No.

This was wrong. I promised myself I wouldn't walk into her life again. I saw hurt in her eyes and I looked away. My f*****' eye was irritating me again. I wiped the water away, there's no denying I missed her. I wasn't crying, no, I was shedding water from my eyes.

I looked at the stop light, and to my relief, it turned green. I will make this quick and easy for both of us.

I sped ahead quickly, not looking back until I couldn't feel her eyes on my back anymore. I stole a glance. She was making a u-turn. I knew she wouldn't want to see me again. This sucks on my part. But this is what is best.

I turned around and stopped breathing.

A car was coming towards me at 100 miles per hour.

That was the last thing I saw before the world exploded in blood as I fell of my cycle, hit by the car.

Carmen pov.

A pain so agonizing and horrific hit me that I gasped and could hardly breathe. It felt like a whole freakin' mountain was falling on me. I felt my head, where the most severe pain was. What the h***? I was completely unharmed!

Then it hit me, Seth. I gripped the wheel tighter and turned around once again. Another pain hit me, but this time, I was so stunned that I lost control of the wheel.

I screamed out loud as my car and not to mention, me, rolled down the hill that was at the side of the road.

The tree was up ahead, and my car showed no mercy as it went right into its trunk.

But, nothing.

I looked around and was stunned that I was not hurt. Not one scratch.

I noticed the blue aura around me and grinned. So now you decide to show up!

I let out a little drunky laugh. It grew into a hysterical laugh you would here from a mental person. I stopped and remembered Seth. Oh no f*****' way was I going to let him go.

It was strange that before, I felt his emotions, and now, I felt nothing from him.

I tried hard not to think about what that probably meant.

I scrambled out of the car and literally crawled to the road. Thank the goddess that no one was on the road as I got up and started running back. It's probably only about a mile from here, it'll take me eight minutes to get to Seth. I hope nothing too horrible happened, but judging from the pain _I_ got, I don't even want to think about it.

The blistering sun was so hot and I felt faint. If I had known I would be outside today, I would have brought water along with me.

But I was very close and I got a new strength inside of me from goddess - knows - where and I surged onward.

Soon, I saw the street's corner, and turned. I dreaded what I would find there.

There were no firemen. No police. No ambulance. No one on the street.

But Seth, sprawled on the street. So…broken. How could this have happened?

I let out the shrill scream I've been holding back the whole day.

I feared the worst as I knelt down by him and felt his pulse at his neck.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch. 3: Yet another Visit From Our Old Pal**

Carmen pov.

Goddess no, no, no, no, no! That's what I call prayer.

I put my two fingers at his neck and feel the pulse.

There's nothing at all. I hold back a whimper and count to 60 out loud, still nothing.

I laid my head on his chest and cried hysterically for goddess knows how long.

I calmed down, and now I was just gasping for air.

I felt his chest rise and fall.

"Holy s***! OMFG!" I yelped. I looked down at him and saw he was weakly smiling at me. Oh thank the merciful heavens! See? You don't have to pray pray, just ask for something and ta-da!

"Oh Seth, my Seth," I said with joy and practically jumped on him like a kid. He laughed gently and that reminded me he was barely conscious.

I put his arm around my neck and helped him walk to the car. I grimaced at the sound of his shallow breathing and how he was holding back shouting in pain.

I put him in the back and he didn't say a word, just watched me intently. I was more than a little paranoid driving, feeling his eyes on my face, but I didn't say a word. I would do anything to keep him conscious.

I called the hospital along the way and told them about our situation, and they were there with a stretcher in tow when I pulled up.

"Carmen…" he began with a voice so weak I let out a little cry and he looked away, thinking that I didn't want to talk to him. I gently picked up his chin and turned his head towards me. His handsome face was…This time I looked away, biting my lip but still kept my finger there.

I turned back around, and saw that I was too shallow before. He had many wounds, but they somehow made him look much stronger. "Don't leave me," he finished in a whisper.

"I won't ever," I said as they started pulling the stretcher away, with me walking beside him.

I didn't look at him once, I think I was too forward; it's pretty bold to say you won't leave someone forever.

"Ma'am, I apologize, but this is where you must wait until one of the doctors come and tell you that you can come in," the woman said. I nodded briskly and smiled reassuringly at Seth.

"Now, what has this young man done," the doctor, apparently, asked.

I recalled the horror of feeling what Seth was feeling when it happened. But how can you tell a doctor _I felt exactly what Seth was feeling and it was quite horrible, but don't worry, he's going to be quite all right_. _Because he is a vampire and shall heal faster than you think, would you care for some tea?_

"He was wounded when he got in a car accident," I say finally. The doctor nods and walks off with the nurses carrying Seth on the stretcher to the room on the left.

I sat down and picked up a copy of _Life _magazine, flipped through a couple pages and slapped it down back on the table.

Yeah, life. Trust me; you have not experienced life until you become a vamp and the Queen of Darkness whose soul mate got in a car accident an hour ago.

Speaking of car 'accidents', how did Seth get in one? Seth would not have done anything stupid like that. But the other driver…

The way Seth was sprawled on the ground like that; I doubt it was all a terrible accident. I think it was deliberate.

"Madam, you may see the boy in five minutes, I'm going on a coffee break," the doc said. _I'm going on a coffee break. _How can he do that when there's a freakin' boy that I may add, is Dauntia's daughter, that just got in a deliberate car accident laying on an uncomfortable white bed? I took a breath and calmed myself down.

Instead, I smile politely and answer "Thank you sir, I shall do so." After the doctor left, I walked into the room right away and my mouth hangs open, no words coming out.

Before I could even scream, a hand covered my mouth.

"Yes, yes. We are honored to have you as our guest," the familiar voice said. I gulped at the scene.

Seth was being held against his will, knife at throat. I was being held by Maddie, gun at my head.

"What the hell Maddie?" I sputter out.

"Miss me any?" Maddie remarked in the same tone.

"Just as much as you missed me," I say in a fake nice voice.

"Now listen, if you make one damn noise, your boy's going to be skewered. You are going to calmly walk out of here with us and not attract any attention. Got it?" She said, waiting for an answer as she put in bullets into the gun calmly waiting for my answer.

I hate this girl so much! I could kill her now, with my blue power and all, I can stop her. But I can't control the flame yet, I would be taking a big risk depending on it.

There's no way to fight her, it's too late. I should have done that years ago. I nod my head slightly.

"No! Carmen, leave now! Just leave me behind," Seth says urgently. Yeah, I know how he can take care of himself.

I walk to the door and Maddie smiles. Seth looks down and says nothing.

I had let him down. But not yet, this battle has only begun.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ch. 4: Dauntia**

Seth pov.

"Hello Seth," the devil herself was back. I struggled to sit up, but Maddie pushed me back down.

"What do you want Maddie," I said, this was no time for any games.

She sat me up and whispered something to the goon that was accompanying her, and he nodded.

The thug put a knife to my throat.

"Stay silent and your girlfriend will be safe," she threatened. I really hope that Carmen would not come in at this moment.

Well, just my luck. Carmen walked in with a hopeful look in her eyes, wanting to see me, and her mouth dropped open.

Maddie was quick. She pointed a gun at Carmen's face.

"What the h*** Maddie," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Miss me any?" Maddie retorted.

"Just as much as you missed me," was Carmen's reply.

We're in for some s*** now if we weren't in it before.

"Now listen, "Maddie was getting right to the point, "if you make one d*** noise your boyfriend's going to get skewered. You are going to calmly walk out of here with us and not attract any attention, got it?"

"No Carmen, leave now! Leave me behind!" I shouted.

I don't know what that was for, Carmen is stuck here. She knows if she escapes they will kill me.

Instead of doing what I said, she bit her bottom lip and exited.

Maddie took me with her; she knows I've saved Carmen before so she wants to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Some people stared at us; we were such an odd and large group walking out of the hospital, and especially with me still in the hospital gown. But Carmen and the rest of them looked like they knew what they were doing so no one objected.

I was hoping a doctor would see us and order us to stop, to not leave, but none were in the hallways.

There was a van outside at the door and we all hopped in except me, Maddie "helped" me by shoving me in.

No one talked on the ride to wherever we were going and I was okay with that.

In fifty minutes an airport came into view. It was dark out so I had no clue where we were. These people know how to be kidnappers. We have no idea where we are so we can't escape.

How did Maddie end up becoming like this, I don't know. We were friends since first grade.

I focused my attention on Carmen, but her face was shadowed so I had no clue as to what she thought was going to happen. I hope she was all right and well.

It was all a blur, entering the blinding light of the airport, going into the plane.

Before I even knew it, we were in Italy, in the city of the council. Surely my mother would listen to me and let me go. And Carmen too. Right?

As soon as we walked into the headquarters of the council, Maddie and her goon parted with us. We were left with one of the workers here or whatever she was.

"Follow me," she said.

Not even a "Hello Mr. Tagaris, would you need anything you can page me anytime and please feel free to join with you mother whenever you like, for she says she doesn't mind."

The lady was treating me like a… stranger.

Carmen and I walked in silence, every once in a while we would exchange nervous glances.

Apparently, we weren't meeting with the council right away, because the lady walked us to the guest room part of the building.

Carmen and I had to be in different rooms. No surprise there, they know we would probably make a plan to escape together if we could talk with each other.

The woman gestured for us to go into our rooms and left.

I looked around and saw that this wasn't my room after all; it was Dauntia's, my mother's.

And there at her desk was my mother herself.

She hasn't changed at all, obviously. And it was very hard to remember she was my mother, she looked like she was my age. Still pretty and dainty.

Dauntia turned around and looked at me.

"So, what happened with you? You have cuts and scrapes everywhere," she said, looking at my unfortunate arms and legs.

I wanted to tell her that it was done by someone on purpose, because this person, whoever he or she was, turned into my motorcycle at the last minute. It was the truth.

But then my mother would think that I thought everyone was out to kill me and I was paranoid, and she would hire a psychiatrist just for me. I don't want that do I?

"Oh, yeah. I was riding my motorcycle and I fell when I was at high speed," I said.

She nodded, accepting my answer. It was completely silent.

"What are you going to do to Carmen and me?" I asked. I needed to know. My mother, I know would not harm me, but she can punish me.

But Carmen, I don't know.

"Son, why did you leave the city in the first place after making an appointment? The council knows you are my son, but you need to respect us. The council will be very cross with you," She chides.

"Mother, what will happen to Carmen?" I said, exasperated.

Usually when my mother changes the topic like that, to talking about how I don't respect the council and blah blah blah, it merrily means she is hiding something.

"Son, you do know who this girl is? The whole story, right?" She asked.

"Yes, I know she's a hybrid and Queen of Darkness," I said.

_And my soul mate, so don't talk about bad stuff about her because I will pull your hair out. _

She nods. "We, however, don't know if she is truly the Queen of Darkness," she says, watching my expression.

"Go on, so what will you do?" I am getting impatient.

"She will have to take a test," she states it simply.

A gut-wrenching feeling is rolling into the pit of my stomach.

"What kind of test," I press on, even though I know the answer. A vey horrible and inhumane test…

"She will have to survive the Flames of Darkness."


	5. Chapter 5

**Ch. 5: The Council**

Carmen pov.

The room I walked into was beautiful and artfully decorated. There was a couch in the center and a bed in the corner. A desk was also there and a TV was on the opposite side of the bed.

They treated prisoners well here. I snorted into the empty space.

I wonder what they will do to us. I sighed at the thought of having old people scrutinizing me.

Unable to sit and calmly wait for a formal meeting and a chance to prove myself trustworthy or whatever, I glanced out the window.

I was on the first floor of the castle-like structure. What a great place to put a prisoner. I could easily escape now, if I had my bearings.

I strained my neck to look up the castle wall to see how many stories there were.

I gasped. Wow, now that dawn was upon us, I could see the many stories. Around fifteen. The castle looked like something out of a story book. It was very impressive.

Focusing my attention on the town surrounding the council, I gasped.

I was _floating_ through the town, in my own physical form, and no one noticed.

I frantically shook my head, wanting to get in my own body. Then I was back.

I had just seen the market in the town while lounging in this room. Maddie must have obviously drugged me on the trip here. But it was very real.

I really had to learn more about this power, but with no other queen of darkness to help, and hopefully no ancient people still here today that were there during the time when our own goddess walked the earth, who could be of guidance but the goddess herself?

From what I've heard, no one had my powers. The blue flame that comes when I'm in danger is the only power I thought I had. Even that isn't reliable. It isn't strong enough and it doesn't come right on time, before the incident happens.

And now, with that strange floating through the streets thing, I know I really need guidance. For now, I would just have to help myself.

It was definitely frightening not being in my own body, but I tried to the thing again all the same.

I looked out the window again and thought about the streets where the market was busy.

A sudden whoosh of air, and then I was traveling through the streets. Now that I was more prepared, it was actually fun going around being 'invisible.'

I spotted a young beggar child with grime all over his face walking through the market with an upset face.

I wanted to comfort the child and ask him what's wrong. Then I was suddenly _in_ his body, feeling everything he was feeling.

I, or the boy, was hungry and recently he lost his parents. I saw the whole world in his perspective. This was such a chilling experience; my power was so strong, that I wanted to get out.

That's exactly what happened. It's good to know that I can control my powers. Even so, I was still disappointed this was all I had.

The powers are great, but they aren't strong enough. And just two? Shouldn't I be very powerful and be able to do some stuff with my powers?

I demanded the power to take me back to my body, but then I told it to go back.

I went around looking for a food stand, and to my delight it had tasty meat. Since the man was busy with the customer, and I was invisible, I grabbed a barbecued chicken, already wrapped, and took it to the beggar boy. He really wasn't a beggar, but I didn't have his name. It's really stupid that I went inside his mind, even learned he was not a vamp, and didn't even think about looking around for his name.

I didn't want him to be scared of a floating chicken, lol, so I dropped the chicken by his side when he wasn't looking.

The boy jumped, but I saw his worry disappear as he looked around, wanting to thank whoever was gracious enough to give him a fully cooked chicken.

Seeing no one, he opened the container and dug into a chicken leg. Smiling to myself, I willed my soul to return to my body.

That was a good thing to, because the next instant, a woman with blazing red hair and a frown upon her delicate face walked into my room.

She stared at me for a second and then motioned for me to follow her. I was out of options, so I did.

"Hello, my name is Carmen," I said, and she stopped her walk to turn around.

"We all know who you are," she said coldly and began walking. Well, this isn't going well. We continued our walk in silence.

The hallway finally led somewhere, and I looked at the golden doors before me.

The woman finally looked back to make sure I was there. Satisfied, she opened the door and walked in. I guess that means follow her.

I blinked at the sudden light of the enormous room. They would be much better off opening the windows, letting in the morning light.

As my eyes adjusted, I grew wary. There were five young women sitting in the center u-shaped table, and rectangular tables surrounding the table was filled with other important looking people.

The empty seat in the u-shaped table was filled when my escort sat in it. With a start, I realized that this was the council room, and there was the council sitting behind that table.

The woman in the center stood, and she addressed everyone in the crowd with a strong voice, "Good morning to you all, and thank you for coming to this rather urgent and inconvenient," she looked at me when she said this and I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes, because I could feel pure power radiating from her in threatening tides, "meeting. It has come to my attention by Madison Claude that we have a predicament to take care of." She finishes, for now, making a dramatic entrance for people to talk about what could possibly be the predicament. Already, people were eyeing me with suspicion.

Of course, the mentioning of Maddie's name left me looking around the room for her. Twice, my eyes led me to Seth. His face stayed impassive, and I grew worried. What will happen to me?

I knew what I had to do. I would send my soul looking for Maddie. My soul might leave, but from my earlier experiments with the strange power, I noticed that if I saw what was happening around my body, I could still control it. Which is good, because I don't want to randomly fall on the feet of the council.

I willed my spirit to leave my body to search for Maddie, and soon I was free and flying near the ceiling looking for the devil. I looked back at the council, and they were busy talking in hushed tones of how to tell the group of the arrival of a Queen of Darkness that is a vamp-tracker hybrid. Hilarious!

I noticed their leader, I think, looking at my body and in the direction of my soul. I froze, and she joined the council in their conversation, still glancing up often in my direction as I continued to search for Maddie.

Soon, I found her and learned she was located closest to the council in one of the rectangular desks. It's good to know where your enemy is at all times.

I willed my soul to go back in my body, and it complied.


End file.
